The Hidden Words as andarz literature

Abstract

The andarz literature is a type of wisdom literature which was used in Iran since before the Islamic conquest. Its traces can be found in prominent Iranian works, for example, the Sh�h n�ma, as well as in the more distant Arabic literature. This paper examines the various types of andarz literature throughout the ages, from its early beginnings to Islamic times, and analyses The Hidden Words of Bahá-u-lláh as a possible continuation of this literary tradition.